Nearly 98 hectares of forest are encroached
On December 8, Lao Dong news source reported that the Gia Lai Provincial Forest Protection Department had reported on the case of deforestation and illegal logging in regions 4 and 6, sub-region 157 (Kim Son commune).
According to the Forest Protection Department, on July 3, the People's Committee of Kim Son Commune discovered a deforestation case in Clauses 4 and 6, so it should coordinate with the Hoai An Area Forest Protection Department (abbreviated as the Forest Protection Department) to investigate and verify. The results determined that the total area of damaged forests was 97.74 hectares, including 23.13 hectares of natural forests and 74.61 hectares of planted forests.
Specifically, natural forests managed by the Hoai An Protective Forest Management Board (DPB) are 3.74ha, Kim Son Commune People's Committee manages 19.28ha, Kim Son Prison 0.11ha; planted forests managed by the Hoai AnDPB 22.27ha, Kim Son Commune People's Committee 52.34ha.
According to the investigation, since 2007, the People's Committee of Hoai An district (old Binh Dinh province; now Gia Lai province) has allocated 30 hectares of forest land to 2 households to plant acacia and issue a Land Use Rights Certificate (red book). In 2009, the People's Committee of the district revoked the red books of these two households.
On February 5, 2013, the People's Committee of the old Binh Dinh province handed over 30 hectares of forestry land to the Hoai An Forestry Management Board for management, the current status includes 6 hectares of vacant land and natural forests, 24 hectares of multi-age planted forests. The Hoai An District Party Committee has requested the relevant agencies to handle the assets on the land of households but have not been resolved.
By the end of May and early June 2025, households with forests in this area had exploited and replanted acacia trees, some households encroached on natural forests.
Hoai An National Park Management Board has compiled a list of 14 households exploiting planted forests, continuing to occupy land for growing acacia, and 2 subjects destroying natural forests. On June 30, 2025, Hoai An Economic Zone Management Board worked and requested to return the land, but the households did not comply.
The People's Committee of Kim Son commune said that from 2007 to 2013, plot 6 was an unallocated forest, not leased by the commune; households illegally cleared, occupied land, and destroyed the forest to grow acacia. Some subjects have been punished, their crops have been destroyed, but the handling is not thorough.
In 2008, this area was planned as a protective forest managed by the People's Committee of the old An Nghia commune. However, taking advantage of the time when the Commune People's Committee focused on the arrangement, some individuals in charge of management were lax, leading to people continuing to exploit acacia forests and occupying natural forest land. Through investigation, it was determined that there were 23 violators.
Proposal to discipline forest rangers in the area
On November 30, 2025, the Forest Protection Department reported on the review of the responsibilities of individuals related to the case of deforestation and illegal logging in Kim Son commune.
Regarding the two officers of the forest rangers in the area - Mr. Phan Van Thanh and Mr. Truong Ngoc Nhuan, although assigned by the leaders of the Provincial Forest Ranger Department to directly monitor, inspect and supervise forests and forestry land in Kim Son commune, they have not done a good job, allowing the situation of people violating forestry to continue, without measures to prevent, handle, and not report promptly to superiors.
The prolonged incident caused serious consequences, greatly affecting state management and the reputation of the forestry sector, and did not complete the assigned tasks. Therefore, the Forest Protection Department proposed that superiors consider disciplining Mr. Phan Van Thanh and Mr. Truong Ngoc Nhuan with a reprimand.
Regarding the responsibility of the head, although he advised the old District Party Committee and People's Committee and worked with local authorities on forest management and protection; directed comprehensive and timely work for local civil servants and forest rangers to perform their duties, but because the grassroots forest rangers did not report the incident in time, it was not possible to direct prevention from the beginning.
In addition, the large area and the time of violations during the merger of the two-level government have created gaps in the direction of the grassroots. The head himself had not fully anticipated the situation, lacked inspection and supervision, trusted the forest rangers in the area, leading to the incident, and directed the handling in an untimely manner.
Therefore, the Forest Protection Department recommends that superiors consider reviewing and drawing in-depth experience in the leadership and direction of the Forest Protection Department in the past time.
The Provincial Forest Protection Department said that this unit is reviewing the responsibilities of relevant organizations and individuals to report to the Department of Agriculture and Environment for handling according to regulations.
At the same time, the Forest Protection Department has directed the Forest Protection Department to consolidate the case file to prosecute the case related to illegal logging and deforestation in Clauses 4 and 6; and transfer the file to the Investigation Police Agency for further handling according to regulations.
